Anchor bolt, Hold down, Rebar, Threaded Rod Retainer and Snapper Device

ABSTRACT

A device is used for securely locating, positioning and holding the anchor bolt/threaded rod, or similar components during concrete pouring. The device mainly has a base, extension arm, and a snapper. The base consists of a stop and a step face in which both of them can be placed along the edge of the form in order to properly locate anchor bolt&#39;s distance from concrete form. The base also consists of apertures to secure the position of the device on the selected points of the form by installing screws or nails. An extension arm is built with an upward angle to the base to let concrete finisher to finish the concrete easily underneath the anchor bolt and the device. The snapper is used to retain different sizes of anchor bolt/threaded rod range in diameter by a gripping mechanism for quick install and de-installation. The snapper device has pins or teeth located on the area having direct connection with anchor bolts or threaded rod for securing anchor bolt, or other item that inserted into the device.

REFERENCES CITED U.S. Patent Documents

-   U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,429, Cement anchor bolt gauge, June 1962, base     model for body shape of invention -   U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,734, Anchor bolt setter, May 1969, similar     application in different way -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,436, Apparatus for positioning anchor bolts     within concrete, October 1991, similar application in different     condition -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,534, Reversible foundation bolt holder, August     1994, similar application in different medium -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,076, Re useable couple for foundation anchor,     September 1997, existing products with reported difficulties in     usage -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,188, Accessory for building construction,     September 1998, existing products with reported difficulties in     usage -   U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,730, Positioning and retaining device, May 2000,     existing products with reported difficulties in usage

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

My invention relates to an improvement in construction devices with its primary application being a retainer or bracket for anchor bolts or threaded rods. This invention will also have other additional features not currently available in any other invention presently on the market. (For the remainder of this patent application, Anchor bolts and/or Threaded rods will be referred to simply as “Anchor bolts”)

The main function of the invention is to position and hold/retain anchor bolts with a sufficient amount of strength, particularly during the pouring of concrete, in order to comply with construction and building code requirements.

Concrete foundations are created using poured concrete which is shaped by wooden concrete forms and which will eventually harden into the shape provided by said form. In these concrete foundations, anchor bolts are placed. An anchor bolt is simply a bolt made of steel or other construction material, and is used to secure columns and posts to each other or to a fixed foundation. As with any bolt, the anchor bolt is tightened to the anchor with columns in place and the anchor is hooked inside the concrete foundation perpendicularly to the horizontal rebar.

The most common methods of anchor bolt installation are either by field stabbing the anchor bolts or by hanging the bolts. Field stabbing is the oldest and the most popular method because it is the simplest one. However, though simple and quick, this method is more prone to mistakes since choosing the proper size, locating as well as installing the anchor bolts is done with less accuracy. These problems are due mostly to time constraints, stressful workloads during concrete pouring, as well as a lack of understanding on the part of those responsible for placing the anchor bolts. Thus said, the latest construction and building codes, particularly in the state of California, require contractors to hang all anchor bolts before calling for building inspection in order to minimize the errors previously stated above. Different types of these hangers used to hang/position the anchor bolt are currently available on the market. However, most of these fail to retain the anchor bolt's position due to the heavy weight and high pressure that poured concrete can expel. This concrete then pushes the reinforcement bars and lower parts of anchor bolts toward the forms. With the anchor bolts tilted toward the forms, the attachment of the structure frames as well as the foundation is weakened.

Because of this problem, some contractors simply hang the anchor bolts for inspection purposes only in order to avoid dealing with any hassles. In other words, the contractor will uninstall the anchor bolts after the field passes the required inspection and will then perform the field stabbing method once the concrete is poured.

In order to avoid these problems, I have created a new type of anchor bolt retaining device which will fix problems shown on previous paragraphs, in addition, making things easier for workers to install and uninstall anchor bolt to the holder as well as replacing the current hangers available on today's market.

This device consists of a base, an extension arm, and a “Snapper”. The base of the device is made up of a stop and a step face, both of which can be placed along the edge of a concrete form in order to properly locate an anchor bolt's distance from the form. On the base are 2 sets of 4 apertures each, which secure the position of the device on selected points of the form through the installation of screws or nails. The extension arm is designed at an upward angle in order to ease finishing the concrete underneath the anchor bolt retainer and snapper.

At the front of the extension arm is a device shaped almost in the shape of a “U” which functions to grip the anchor bolt, the snapper. The snapper has a flexibility which enables it to hold different diameter of anchor bolts within range. At one end of the snapper is a pin which allows the snapper to better hold an anchor bolt on the thread which it grips.

Therefore, the objective of my invention is to create an economical, simple, and universally user friendly tool that will solve the problems mentioned in the preceding paragraphs with this new anchor bolt/threaded rods retaining device which will accommodate different diameter of anchor bolts within range. Another objective of this product is to provide ease in installation, removal and detachment of brackets while minimizing the requirement to finish the concrete underneath the bracket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention is used to position and retain different diameter of anchor bolts within range in a fixed position during concrete pouring. The anchor bolt retaining device can be broken down into three components:

The first component of the invention is the base that consists of a stop as well as a step-face. The function of each is to properly secure the entire device to the wooden form as well as locate the anchor bolt's distance from the form. It also accommodates multiple sizes of lumber, since it can be screwed/nailed into multiple widths. The installer is then able fit the anchor bolt retainer at the exact location of the anchor bolt, then select the proper face of the anchor bolt retainer for the type of lumber.

The second component of the invention is the extension arm at an upward angle from the stop and step-face. The angle creates sufficient space between the anchor bolt retainer and snapper to the bare concrete to ease the one finishing the concrete underneath the device.

The third component of the invention is the snapper head. The snapper head is designed to hold different diameter of anchor bolts within range. The snapper head also has teeth on either side of the inner part of the “U” in order to better grip the anchor bolt. The installer is to snap the right size of the anchor bolt per specification prior to inspection or during concrete pouring. The “U” shaped “Snapper” acts in a way similar to a crab's claw or even the way the human hand holds, self locking the object. The bolt is in the center, held in between the “U” through applied pressure with extra help from the teeth on the inner “U”.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the device can be broken down into three parts, the base; which consists of a stop face (101) and step face (102), an extension arm (103), and a “Snapper” head (104). There are a few apertures (107) on the base (100) for the location of nails or screws to mount the device on the concrete form (106). There are pins (110) on the inside curve of the snapper head (104) to hold the anchor bolt better. The device are flexible and made up from but not limited to steel or plastic and are strong enough to withstand the weight of the anchor bolt, the concrete as well as the pressure it creates during the pouring process.

Referring to FIG. 2, the upper part or threaded part of anchor bolt (105) is snapped into the snapper head (104) by pushing the anchor bolt (105) horizontally through the opening on the snapper head (104). On the inside part of the snapper head (104) that has direct contact with the anchor bolt (105), there are pins (110) gripping the threaded part of the anchor bolt (105) securing the anchor bolt in the fixed position.

Referring to FIG. 3, the device is placed on the form (106) with stop (101) and step (102) face is utilized based on the size of 2×6 or 2×4 mudsill base respectively. The stop (101) and step face (102) are also adjusted to the top of the form (106) and side/edge of the form (106) so the device is laid down securely and properly during the installation process.

Referring to FIG. 4, after the anchor bolt (105) is located at the right location; the position of the device on the form can be secured by hammering nails or screwing screws (111) through the apertures (107) located on the base (100). At the end, the concrete (108) is poured inside the concrete forms (106). Reinforcement bars (109) are installed inside the poured concrete. Concrete (108) is poured to the top edge of form (106), and finished parallel to smooth finish of base. 

1. An anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device is used for securely locating, positioning and holding the anchor bolt or threaded rod, or similar components during concrete pouring while the anchor bolt can be installed and detached easily, consisting of: A base; a two stepped base which accommodates different sizes of wood with each face having a set of 4 apertures used for either nailing or screwing the device in place on the form. An extension arm, connected to the base, outwardly extending from the base with an upward angle; A snapper located at front end of the extension arm, functions for holding the anchor bolt or threaded rod in a perpendicular position to the device. The snapper is flexible and can hold several sizes of anchor bolts ranging in diameter. On the inside part of snapper having direct contact with anchor bolt or threaded rod, there are pins on both sides of the snapper gripping the threaded parts of the anchor bolt or threaded rod to better hold the anchor bolt or threaded rod in place.
 2. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 1, the base also has stop and step face.
 3. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 1, the base also contains of several apertures.
 4. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 2, the step face is in vertical position.
 5. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 4, the step face is facing the snapper or in the forward direction towards the “Snapper”
 6. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 1, the stop is perpendicular to the base and connected at the end of the base in a downward orientation.
 7. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 6, the stop consisting one or several apertures.
 8. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 1, the snapper has a “U” shaped
 9. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 8, the snapper has a mechanism or design to receive and to hold round, square, rectangular, as well as different shaped item, with the range of dimension parallel to the base.
 10. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 8, the snapper device has pins or teeth located on the area having direct connection with anchor bolts or threaded rod for securing anchor bolt, or other item that inserted into the device. It secures from movements in all directions, and establishes a firm position.
 10. The anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device of claim 8, the snapper is parallel to the base.
 11. The construction means of claim 1 in which said during concrete pour means the whole process of construction includes building inspection.
 12. The construction means of claim 1 in which said anchor bolt and threaded rod retainer and snapper device means made from metal, plastic, wood and other materials. 